This Program Project is formally aligned under the Linus Pauling Institute (LPI) at Oregon State University (OSU). Housing of the Program Project under LPI provides a pre-existing organizational structure for administration of the grant, and for promoting scientific interactions with the other research centers and institutes at OSU with allied research interests. This alignment also provides direct access to the highest levels of the University administration, including the President, Dr. Edward Ray. Dr. Balz Frei, who serves as Director of this Program Project, also serves as LPI Director and reports directly to the Vice President for Research, who in turn reports to the Provost and Executive Vice President of the University. Dr. Frei's oversight of the Core is carried out with assistance from Barbara McVicar, Assistant to the Director and LPI Office Manager, and Cathy Abney, LPI Accounting Manager. The Administrative Core provides the liaison with NIH in all application and reporting responsibilities, including preparation and submission of all reports required by NIH, and obtaining approvals for use of human subjects and vertebrate animals. The Core directly administers the budgets for all individual project activities within the Program Project, coordinates regularly scheduled project and program meetings, and coordinates all activities associated with the annual External Advisory Committee meeting. The External Advisory Committee consists of three scientists with distinguished records in scientific areas pertinent to the Program Project, viz. oxidative and nitrative stress and CAM antioxidants in cardiovascular diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (or neurodegenerative diseases in general), and aging. The External Advisory Committee functions to assess research progress of the overall Program Project and the individual projects, advise the Program Director and the Project Leaders on how CERCAT may best respond to advances in the field of CAM therapies of CVD, neurodegenerative diseases and aging, and discuss with OSU research administration the University's commitments for continued or additional institutional support of CERCAT. Finally, the Administrative Core is responsible for coordinating the organization of LPI's "Diet and Optimum Health" Conference, which serves as the scientific outreach program for the Program Project.